One-speed woman!

Long background story posted sometime ago but in brief...last year was running 3 x a week til August. Stopped due to illness til March this year. Have been building up since then and am now 3 x a week doing a longer run on Saturday and up to 5 miles. However......I am so so slow! My 5 miles took one hour. ONE HOUR! I'm beginning to think that my bod. is just not made for moving fast or I'm too old or something!! (48...no Kate Moss but no Hattie Jacques either!!). My illness is basilar migraine...and manifests as almost constant disorientation/wooziness/thick head and often sick headaches. I run to make me realise that I CAN do something other than drag myself to and from work! But not sure if this speed think is ever going to kick in. Or does it really matter!

Also, anyone out there running on medication! (Not the dodgy stuff). I have to keep trying different meds. and the last two have not worked. I'm adamant that don't want to take any of the meds that have weight gain as a side effect...and so many of them sedate you too.

i wouldnt worry about speed. there are lots of people on here (me included) who would take an hour or longer to run 5 miles, or did when they started. the key to it is enjoying it, and it sounds like you are, plus getting fitter and battling your illness at the same time (dont have any knowledge of this, sorry). i have been running about a year and am just starting to see am improvement in times over shorter distances (up to 3 miles).

if you want to increase speed specifically have you looked at any training plans? there are lots around, just find one that suits you. a mix of long/short and fast/slow/varied runs seems to be the way to go, and keeps it interesting.

or how about running with someone else, a partner, or a running club. i definitely run further and faster with other people.

What Meglet said. You can run five miles. That in itself is quite a big deal (read other newbie threads for people just starting and you'll see). To do so with what sounds like a pretty unpleasant and debilitating condition is all the more an achievement. Meglet's suggestions about enlisting some company are good ones. Don't sweat the speed for now and concentrate on keeping up just getting out and enjoying yourself. Good luck.

Thanks for replies and encouragement. Yep, will look at the training plans in The New Runner book....my bible for getting back to running.

Unfortunately nobody around in this small village to run with....at least not in the dark months!! Might be able to recruit some running buddies when the evenings start drawing out in the Spring in prep. for Race for Life!

I can understand that wieght gain may not be you first choice in medication, but . . . . if it gives you a life back? And don't most tablets only cause side effects in some people? Also, I think that (apart from steriods) most weight gain from tablets happens because you're appetite increases - ie if you don't eat more, you don't gain weight.

I would love to run 5 miles in under an hour - its one of my longterm goals.

Welll done on running five miles. If you have an ongoing chronic illness it will always have an impact on anything you do. To be able to run as well is fantastic. I have relapsing/remitting multiple sclerosis, plus I have had three spinal surgeries. Starting running last week of August and average 9 minute miles. However I have to listen to my body all the time. One of the symtoms of m.s. is chonic fatigue so I try to combat this by increasing my carbs. and taking my medication earlier than usual to ensure it is well into my system before I start running. I also experience vertigo and a tremor. However, having said all that running has without doubt improved all my symptoms. I also take a fair few supplements including Q10 which is susposed to help with energy uptake from food, an antioxidant, B6 and various others. Whether iit is psychological or not it does not matter, I feel the best I have felt in twenty years (I am 48 as well). This is not really advice, just to encourage you to keep at it and that there are other runners out there who have todeal with ongoing health issues so know and understand how you feel. Keep up the good work Wendy

I think that an hour to do 5 miles is OK. I don't run as regularly as I would like and am knocking on (next birthday is 40) and I take between 50-60 minutes to run what I think is about 5 miles. If you are enjoying running and it is making you feel good then keep going.

Hi there, it used to take me an hour to do 5 miles - however, over time you will be amazed how quickly the time comes down. For me doing 3 mile tempo runs really helped my overall speed.

Wendy P - myself and a few others got lost on Scafell Pike last December and the mountain rescue had to - well er rescue us. they sent a runner up first and he ran 6 miles uphill to get to us, as he led us down we were chatting about how fit he must be and he mentioned that he had MS and he felt that being really fit helped him enormousley. In fact he was the inspiration for me to take up running again - only properly this time (well try anyway). I dream of doing 9 min miles.

I've been running on and off for 20 years and I still only do 5 miles an hour. Don't worry about it, be proud of yourself - I bet you know loads of people who don't suffer from any illness - long term or otherwise who could run 5 miles.

A huge well done to you, Wendy and anyone else who still runs despite thier illnesses.

Hi everyone, just got back to the thread, thanks for your very kind comments. I generally don't mention the health issues I have, but it does have an impact on deciding whether to run or not. I managed my first 10km training session on Saturday in 60 minutes so was absolutely thrilled. I don't push it and will rest today. M.S. has many forms and the relapsing/remitting type is probably the best if you have to have it. I was diagnosed when I was training to become a nurse in 1996 but have probably had it since my early twenties. I have never felt better since I started running. We all deserve a big pat on the back whatever our circumstances because running takes a lot of determination, courage and single-mindedness Wendy

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